Is it possible that one day, half of the world turn into half-dead corpses while the rest of the population is forced to live in underground bunkers and sheltered communities? Will governments and infrastructures collapse while everyone is left to fend for themselves? That’s what fiction movies like The Last of Us and The Walking Dead have led us to believe. The fact is, zombies remain to be fictional characters and a zombie apocalypse is highly unlikely. However, is it entirely impossible? Find out here!
Is It Possible to Create Zombies?
In the 1980s, Wade Davis from Harvard University developed an interesting hypothesis about zombies. He discovered that a particular neurotoxin in pufferfish can create zombie-like living deaths. Using this information, he published a book titled The Serpent and the Rainbow.
The evidence of these toxins shows that zombies can be created. However, for it to turn into an apocalypse, there must be a well-defined route for transmitting the toxins and an infective agent.
Currently, the only infective agent that can turn a human being into a zombie is the prion, a protein that alters the folding of proteins in the brain. These prions are the same ones that caused a condition known as Kuru that had affected cannibals in New Guinea after consuming human brains. Kuru came with symptoms like open spores, uncoordinated speech and personality changes, which are typical zombie behaviors.
Why It Is Hard to Witness a Zombie Apocalypse
Now that we have learned about prion, does this mean a zombie apocalypse is possible? Probably not! The thing is, human beings do not die and come back to life. That has never happened.
In 2011, Dr Steven Schlozman, a Harvard psychiatric professor, published The Zombie Autopsies. In the book, he turns human beings into flesh-eating monsters. The scientists in Schlozman’s book use the science described above to turn humans into zombies.
They combine prion with an influenza-like virus that is spread through air. It then spreads to the entire world, killing more than two-thirds of the population. The disease created by Schlozman uses prions to destroy significant parts of the brain but leaves enough tissue for activities like walking and hunger. However, Schlozman’s book is based purely on theory. The odds of combining prions with a virus like influenza and making it work are relatively low.
It’s not just Schlozman; many scientists have tried to research whether a virus could trigger a zombie apocalypse, but none have succeeded. After the Coronavirus pandemic, the fears of a zombie apocalypse became widespread. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims, and nothing of a similar sort has happened so far.
Why Some People Are Convinced a Zombie Apocalypse Can Happen
Sci-fi films like The Last of Us have contributed significantly to this widespread fear. What producers do is that they get the best minds in science to come up with hypothetical zombie scenarios. They then exaggerate these scientific anomalies for entertainment purposes.
For example, the fungus that spreads in The Last of Us exists; what’s not practical is how it spreads so fast. Also, it only affects insects and not humans. As movies and TV shows keep on getting better, these fears will be heightened in the future.
Viruses Can Affect the Human Brain, but Not Enough to Cause a Zombie Apocalypse
Even though there are viruses that can cause changes in your brain, it’s not the way it’s depicted in zombie apocalypse movies. Take meningitis, for example. It can inflame the brain and spinal cord, leading to symptoms such as difficulty in focusing, hallucinations, and lack of appetite and energy. Another condition known as encephalitis shares similar symptoms with meningitis but also causes seizures and memory loss.
The other condition that has been associated with zombie behavior is rabies. After getting bit by an infected animal, patients exhibit delirium, muscle twitching, hallucinations and increased agitation.
What to Do in Case Zombie Apocalypse
Should a zombie apocalypse occur, the CDC has a complete guide on how you can prepare and outlive it. Most of the guide is based on common sense. For instance, people should avoid areas that have a high number of zombies.
Migrating would be the best option, but if it’s not possible, hiding is the next best alternative. Bunkers would be the safest place to hide. Remote islands or prisons would also be great choices. An adequate supply of food and water will be needed. People should also move in large groups to have a fighting chance in case of a zombie attack.
The CDC developed the above guide to end the panic revolving around the zombie apocalypse fears. It’s the same way there are guides on how to survive an alien attack. Zombies have never existed, and according to our current understanding of biology, they never will.